Tom Simmonds

Midweek Muse: The lower division sides capable of facing football heavyweights in FA Cup third round

November 30, 2016

The FA Cup second round takes place across this weekend, and clubs from the English lower divisions and non-league will be facing off for the right to a shot at a big payday [...]

Midweek Muse: Raise a Glass to the most important goal in Carlisle’s history

November 23, 2016

It’s one of the most famous goals in English football history and made household names of Carlisle United and Jimmy Glass, the goalkeeper who played only three games for [...]

Midweek Muse: There was nothing second-rate about the 1990-91 Second Division

November 9, 2016

Even in days where football at its higher levels has been rendered yawnsomely predicable, Leicester’s 2016 title win reminded us the applecart can still occasionally be [...]

Midweek Muse: Sanity and Strategizing starting to prevail in the Championship

November 2, 2016

The EFL has long used the volatility of results in the Championship to market the competition in the face of the increasing predictability of results in major foreign [...]

Midweek Muse: The Return of Jackett – Kenny Jackett takes the reins as new Millers boss

October 26, 2016

Kenny Jackett made his return to management last week after being out of the game since August, after his removal by the new regime at Wolves on the eve of the season. [...]

Midweek Muse: The Afterparty – Leicester’s winners hangover is no cause for Foxes fans to panic

October 19, 2016

Leicester City’s faltering start to the season leaves them in 13th place in the Premier League with only eight points from eight games. Tom Simmonds sees parallels with [...]

Midweek Muse – Iron Sharpens Iron: Scunthorpe’s start to the season reflects a process, not major surgery

October 12, 2016

Scunthorpe United have lost just once on their way to the top of League One after 12 games. While this might shock outsiders who expected the likes of Bolton, Sheffield [...]

Midweek Muse – The Power of Quiet: Liverpool’s Milner quietly lays waste to his critics

October 5, 2016

James Milner is Liverpool’s Johnny-on-the-Spot, netting four penalties and being a key part of the midfield in the Reds’ exhilarating start to the season. Tom Simmonds [...]

Midweek Muse: Not game for a date with Fifa vloggers

September 29, 2016

The Fifa Interactive World Cup was shown in more than 100 countries to an audience of about five million and generated 40m comments on Facebook and Twitter earlier this year [...]

Midweek Muse: Why Jeremy Helan’s retirement for religious reasons is a rarity

September 21, 2016

The news of Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Jeremy Helan’s retirement for religious reasons on Sunday was a reminder to those within football’s bubble that there are some [...]